


Pride and Precedent

by devilinthedetails



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Compromise, F/M, Legality, Politics, Precedent, Pride, laws of succession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 23:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18020228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Early in his reign, Jon struggles with pride and precedent.





	Pride and Precedent

Pride and Precedent

“Your Majesty desires my clerks to review the precedents and legality of this proposed legislation.” Duke Turomot of Wellam’s scowl as he stared down at the scroll Jon had placed on his desk suggested that he regarded the proposed legislation Jon, Thayet, and Gary had spent hours crafting, agonizing over every word, as nothing more than drivel. That set an ominous tone for this discussion, Jon thought.“It makes the radical preposition that the throne should be inherited according to primogeniture rather than male primogeniture.” 

“I’m aware of what the proposed legislation says.” Jon bristled, marveling at how the lord magistrate had managed to offend his pride when the conversation had barely begun. “I spent hours drafting it along with my queen and Prime Minister.” 

“I understand concerns of succession in light of your cousin’s recent treasons, Your Majesty, but you have given the realm an heir.” Duke Turomot spoke as though placating words made his teeth ache. If he had any natural teeth that hadn’t been replaced with painted wooden ones by the palace barber, of course. Perhaps that was why he was always abrasive–his wooden teeth irritated his mouth and left splinters in his gums. “If, Mithros forbid, a tragedy were to befall Your Majesty, your wife would rule with a council of advisors in your son’s name until he came of age. The succession is secure. There is no need for such desperate measures.” 

“This is to secure the succession beyond Roald.” Jon decided not to mention that it was also to provide women more rights under the law. That would only risk giving the lord magistrate a strike. “It is a long-term measure, not a desperate one.” 

“What will happen if a princess in line for the throne is married to a foreign land?” Duke Turomot’s lips pinched like a prune. “The country will revolt if ruled by a foreign king or emperor, Your Majesty.” 

“As you will see if you read the proposed legislation, a princess who marries a foreign power must surrender her place in the line of succession, Your Grace.”Jon couldn’t resist needling the duke with the implication that he hadn’t reviewed the document thoroughly even if he knew that it would only make his negotiation with the lord magistrate even more of an uphill battle. His wounded pride demanded satisfaction. 

“Humph.” Duke Turomot grunted as he scrutinized the proposed legislation for further flaws. “What if the princess remains in Tortall but is married to a foreign prince? People will suspect that her husband rules over her and Tortall instead of believing that she rules over her husband and realm.” 

“People whisper the same things when a king marries a foreign princess.” Jon’s jaw tightened as he thought of all the bitter muttering from conservatives about how he was governed by his wife when it came to what they called his ridiculous reforms. “The doubts appear to be the same whether it is a king or queen who sits the throne married to a foreign royal. You might consider that a relevant precedent.” 

“I assure Your Majesty that my clerks will find no relevant precedents for this proposed legislation.” Duke Turomot’s glower suggested he had seized Jon’s bait. 

“Then it can’t be said to violate precedent.” Jon offered his iciest smile. “The legislation must be perfectly legal in that case.” 

“That wouldn’t be a widespread perception among magistrates.” Duke Turomot shook his head sharply. “Most magistrates would argue if there is no precedent for proposed legislation, that proposed legislation is questionably legal at best.” 

“Then I command you to have your clerks search for relevant precedents.” Jon decided that if he couldn’t persuade the duke, he could at least order him. 

“I will have my clerks research this matter as soon as may be.” Duke Turomot’s rigid bearing assured Jon that this research would start only after the world had ended. 

“I will follow their progress with interest.” Jon stood and strode out of the lord magistrate’s study with as much dignity as he could muster. 

That night as he stood on a balcony beside Thayet watching the silver crescent of the moon rise over the Olorun, Thayet squeezed his shoulder and murmured in the shell of his ear, “You’re still tense from your meeting with Duke Turomot.” 

“He made me want to pull my hair out.” Jon’s hands twisted into fists around the railing. “He was never so stubborn about looking up precedents when my father made such requests of him.”

“Somehow I doubt your father asked him to change laws of succession that were centuries old.” Thayet chuckled. 

“No, my father was never concerned with making any changes.” Jon snorted, forever unable to understand how little had desired to change the realm–how little he had cared about leaving behind a legacy of improvement and strong, transforming leadership. “He only wanted to keep the kingdom stable and peaceful at least on the surface. As long as the surface was serene, he didn’t seem to notice any turmoil of treason boiling beneath the still waters he tried to create.” 

“A king like that doesn’t trouble Duke Turomot.” Thayet’s breath tickled the nape of Jon’s neck. “Our lord magistrate believes that the realm is only as strong as its laws and fears that any changes to them will weaken our courts so the kingdom collapses into chaos.” 

“I realize that.” Jon thought that Thayet wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t know. “That’s why in the end I ordered him to have his clerks look into precedents but I know he will only appear to have them do so rather than truly have them do so.” 

“You insulted the duke’s pride by commanding him to have his clerks conduct such research.” Thayet massaged a knot from his shoulder, and he sighed in relief as coils he hadn’t realized were tied inside him unwound. “He’s too prideful for you to get anywhere ordering him about like one of his own clerks, Jon.” 

“He’s the most obstinate conservative at court.” Jon shot her a challenging glance. “How should I deal with him except with determination to bring him to heal?” 

“You and the intractable Duke Turomot are a prideful match made in the Divine Realms.” Thayet’s hands drifted up to ease the tension out of Jon’s taut neck, and he smiled at how her soft touch contrasted with her tart remark. “You must extend a compromise to the duke that will allow him to save face among the conservatives at court if he agrees to review precedent for the proposed change in royal succession legislation. That means you have to offer a significant concession that won’t contradict our strong principles.”

“What concession do you have in mind, my dear?” Jon asked, content to let her do the thinking as she massaged him. 

“There are conservatives at court who have daughters but no sons and land grants that only permit males to inherit their fiefs and titles,” Thayet pointed out. Jon would have groaned at the reminder of the numerous petitions these conservatives submitted regarding that matter if Thayet hadn’t continued, “ A progressive king could consider altering those grants so women may inherit in cases where there is no male heir.”

“I could review those grants with the same diligence that Duke Turomot’s clerks research precedents related to royal succession.” Jon nodded after a moment’s pause, pleased at a strategy that could pit the realm’s conservatives against one another. “Then I could rely on his own conservative faction to put pressure on him to research such precedents with all due diligence. Perhaps he will listen to them more than he does me.” 

“I’m glad you aren’t too proud to recognize good idea when you hear it.” Thayet trailed teasing fingers along the slope of his shoulders. 

“I’m never too proud recognize a good idea when I hear it.” Jon slid her fingers to his lips for a kiss. “Remember that saying so old it creaks about pride going before a fall? I’m determined never to fall so I must not be proud.” 

“Only a proud person would say such a thing.” Thayet laughed, and Jon loved the way her hazel eyes sparkled in the moonlight.


End file.
